Christmas Cards with Clarity Stamp Club November Stamp

Hi Folks!  Just thought that I would share a couple of Christmas cards that I have made with the New Designs Clarity Stamp Club members stamp that came on Friday. (can't link it for you as yet as it is not available on the Clarity web site until next month) I had a little play as soon as I got the stamp, unfortunately I then had a load of visitors (welcome) and I had only managed to get two cards done. Since then I have been inundated with more mundane things like housework and family lol.

So the first card I did was a play on the sample sheet that came with the stamp.  I used a Clarity Stencil Winter Tree and obviously the Car Stamp, Theuva Card which I had cut to a square.  I had my stash of torn copy paper at the ready along with a makeup sponge, Adirondack Ink: Eggplant, a mask for the car and the headlamp ( post it notes), glue pen, Glamour Dust Glitter and a Stencil Brush

I stamped the car first, placed my masks and then fixed the stencil in place. Using the torn copy paper I shaded in the sky and very lightly shaded the edges of the tree. I then shaded in the tyre tracks forming a bend with the copy paper.
I used a Stencil Brush to lightly go around the inside edge of the stencil, just picking up the ink that was laying on it from doing the sky.
I used my glue pen to and some Glamour Dust to add starlight to the sky and to put some snow on the tree. Then before mounting onto white card I gave a little bit of shading around the edge of the image.
So just before taking this photo on Friday morning one of the lights in my craft room decided to blow so there is a bit more shadow from me that I would have liked to avoid but it was not to be...hey ho!

So the next card that I managed to make I decided to make a circular stencil from Stencil Plastic as I didn't have one.
You need to be patient and have a steady hand this out with a craft knife...don't think I did too badly!

So once again using the Adirondack Ink: Eggplant, Lone Spruce, Forest Ridge, Club Stamp and the small Star. Embossing Ink and Clear Embossing Powder.  Satin Card, Glue Pen, White Flocking.  Clarity Stamp Blending Mat
White Blank Square Card, double sided tape, all from my stash.








So from the images below you can see the stages that I followed.  That Ink on my stencil came in handy!

After doing all the stamping I added a little mask for the headlamp again and added very light shading to show it up  (albeit not very well in this photo) I added some shading for the roadway using my ClarityStamp Blending mat. 

My next step was to cover my image with the INNIE of my stencil to protect it.  I used a makeup sponge to colour the outside of the circle...I love colouring Satin Card as the ink spreads and blends really well and your image still has a sheen when dry.  Now when it came to shading the roadway that is out off the stencil I once again used the edge of the blending mat.

I removed the Innie of the stencil and then stamped the Lone Spruce.  I then used my glue pen to make falling snow around the outside of the circle and I added  snow to the trees with the white flocking.  Then all that was left was to go around the outside edge of the whole image with my ink pad and mount it onto a blank card.  

Can you spot the light from the headlamp?

 I love being a member of the Clarity Stamp Club that much that I didn't hesitate to join the Stencil Club when they started it this year....I'm a Gold Member!  That means that I get a free stencil and free stamp each month along with design sheets for each one, a newsletter written by Barbara Gray, half price members sale, 10 per cent discount and free postage on purchases over £10.00   Not bad at all!

But what I love most about Clarity Stamp is that their product shows quality!  You tell me what other stamp out there on the market that you can take an Iron to  when using fusible fibres and it doesn't melt the stamp.  The Stencils can go through an embossing machine and they don't crack.  And last but not least...Barbara Gray, The Design Team and the Team at Clarity Stamp HQ are all so very generous with their time, help and advice.

So what's next....a little play with the new stencil!


Happy Crafting everyone.

Hugs

Emma xx

New Year, New Beginning!

Hi Folks!  As the title says New Year, New Beginning and it is for me!  I will end this month in a New Home with a New Craft Room and now a friend has just had a New Baby!

My card is for the New Baby and I will be entering this card into the Clarity Stamp Challenge which the theme this month is NEW.  And here is the finished card. (my ramblings on how I made it will come after the main picture)

Step one was of course to figure out what I wanted to do and then gather all my bits together.  I got my piece of Clarity Coated Card and dusted it with Talcum Powder.  Stamped the ' it's a boy' onto the card using Memento Paris Dusk ink and sprinkled Clear Embossing Powder and of course then heated this from underneath.  I also made a mask from a Post-it Note for this stamp.

I then stamped my Blue Leafy Swirl in Paris Dusk and gave it the same treatment as the sentiment.  I stamped the Swirl again in Memento Summer Sky.

You will have noticed (if you are paying attention) that the embossing is not completely covering the swirl and the sentiment.  The reason? Although ink stays wet longer on Coated Card stock, you really need to use an embossing ink.  But as I was going for the effect of dew drops on fresh leaves this suited me fine.  I did blow quite a bit of the embossing powder away before heat setting it.

I took a tree from the set of 3 repositional trees and stamped a ridge line just with the very tip of the tall thin one in Memento Pistachio.  I tore a piece of copy paper to make my hills using Pistachio again.  I used the Lone Pine stamp from the ATC starter set, either side of the picture and my Mini Spruce Tree for the rest. I took the long stamp from the Trees and their Mantles, fixed it to my ruler and stamped along the bottom.  I then added a bit more shading to the foreground with Memento Olive.



I took a Blue Distress Marker to the edge of my picture and then matted this onto White Super Smooth paper.  Then matted this onto a textured Blue Card which I then matted onto a White Base card.  I used my Perfect Layers Rulers that I got from Joanna Sheen (and they are perfect) to do my layers.

The final stages were to form my Banner.  I used 15 Pricing  Labels (I know, I know...I could have used my small tag stamps from Clarity Stamp but I was in a rush and didn't have time to cut them out.  They stamp out the same size as these by the way).

I Stamped my letters using the Letterbox Set  from In the Classroom with Barbara Gray.  I then alternated the shading on each one. Pistachio and Paris Dusk.  I then fixed them onto my card using small Foam Pads and Double Sided  Tape, alternating which tag got raised and which tag lay flat.  I then threaded the Blue Striped Twine through each tag and left the ends hanging...I was going to have stamped a Swallow to hold the twine at each end but I hadn't left myself much room, next time!

Oh! and why a Blue Leafy Swirl?  Everyone knows that boys are found under Blue Bushes and girls are found under Pink Bushes!!!!!

Happy crafting everyone!

xxx

Christmas cards in January!

Hi Folks!  Well I am the first to complain about early christmas decorations going up in towns...the years pass by quick enough without rushing the end of the year in!  But I have to admit that because of ill health I did get a bit behind in my orders for christmas cards.  So my first resolution for the new year....yes you have guessed it....make my cards earlier.  To give me some incentive to keep that resolution I am going to try to enter at least two Christmas Cards a month into crafty hazelnuts christmas challenge 2  This is a Blog that is just for Christmas Cards and Christmas Projects.  I think it is a brilliant idea!

So for my first entry this month I have the following offering:

I began by masking of the edges of my Clarity Coated Card.  I peeled the masking tape back from the corner and using Memento Paris Dusk Ink, I stamped my Stag in the corner and then I stamped and cut out a mask for the reindeer (I did it this way round so that the ink on the Clarity Coated Card had time to dry). I covered the Body of the Reindeer and then put my masking tape back in place.

I stamped the Spruce Trees at the left of the picture then once again made a mask for them while the ink was drying, covered them up and went to work on the treeline at the top.  All I have done here is to stamp the Forest Ridge along the top.  I then took my small Lone Spruce  and stamped just the top part of the stamp (blotting it first onto copy paper) to give the impression of more trees in the distance.  

I then added a moon mask to the treeline.  Using Memento Summer Sky Ink and Ink Duster, I shaded along the tops of the trees.  I then used the Paris Dusk and a makeup sponge to do a bit more shading in the sky. I drew in two birds in the distance to give the picture a bit more perspective.

I stamped two of the reindeers from the Winter Wonderland Set and then I stamped in the tips of my small Fern and some leaves from the set that goes with the Naked trees of Africa.  Using torn copy paper and makeup sponge I shaded under the tree ridge, the deer, and the plants.

I then removed all the masks, polished up the image with tissue paper and mounted the whole picture onto white card.

Here is  pic of all the items used.  All the stamps used are Clarity Stamps (my favourite) and can be found by following the links.

Happy Crafting!

So as I said at the beginning of this post, I am entering it into the following challenges:

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/

Reindeer Landscape Picture

Hi Folks!  Well it's nearly time for "The Bells"  as we say in Scotland.  2014 quickly looming in!  I hope that you all have a wonderful start to the new year and that you are all able to be with the one's that you love.

I am going to sneak in a last post for a competition before the end of the year.  It is for my favourite challenge at  http://claritystampchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ .  The final challenge of the year is 'Scene Building' and this is my entry.

This piece is an Ink on Canvas.  Stamped using only Clarity Stamps.  I have used my favourite Tree and Leaves stamps along with my collection of Reindeer Stamps.  I have used Memento Summer Sky...for the sky. Memento Pistachio for the Background landscaping.  Archival Coffee and Memento Olive Grove for the Beech Leaves.  Coffee for the Reindeer.  Olive Grove for the trees and shrubbery in the foreground.

I achieved the shading with the aid of my trusty supply of torn copy paper and makeup sponges.  When the project was dry I mounted the canvas onto a Plastic Clip Frame.  ( these are the frames that you tape your canvas too then fold the already scored edges back, thus stretching your canvas ).

close-up of clouds

                             
List of stamps used:
Beech Leaf
Lone Spruce mini
Large Larch
Small Larch
Scotch Pine
Deer Scape
Grasses 1
Winter Wonderland Set
Making a Point Set

So as it is now 31st december 2013 this is definitely my last post of the year and once again I would like to wish all my Crafting friends out there a Very Happy New Year!

Hugs and Kisses to all

Emma xxx


 http://claritystampchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/challenge-10.html